The Oakland, California Homeless Problem is Beyond Belief

[Uncle Joe]

[peppertree]

1. Landlord greed

The true cause of so many of our cost of living problems these days.

[2naSalit]

2. +1

Same thing going on in the Rockies.

[Thunderbeast]

4. That is a simplistic view of a bigger problem

The growth of population living in dense cities has caused the price of property to rise much faster than other inflation elements. Landlords with property they have owned for a long time ARE doing well, but if a property has been acquired or built recently, capital and financing costs drive rents higher to cover debt service.

While real estate values skyrocket, low-wage workers have been squeezed by union busting, offshore manufacturing and wealth accumulation, automation, and regressive tax laws. Economic opportunity has been stratified resulting in 21st Century feudalism.

In short...the economy and public policy has favored property owners over wage-earners.

It can not be stressed enough how much addiction and mental illness contribute to the problem of the unhoused.
Our communities have turned their backs on the dire needs of this population for humane options to achieve health. I may make some enemies in this forum, but until we compel those resistant to treatment to participate in rehabilitation, we will never solve this problem.

In my city, citizens are losing patience. Many are fleeing. There is a legitimate reason for a community to be frustrated with the perception that addicts living in squalor on our streets and in our parks, supported by petty theft, CAN NOT BE TOLERATED as a legitimate "lifestyle".

We are the richest country in the world. The resources ARE AVAILABLE to address poverty and wealth disparity. Affordable housing and mental health resources must be funded so that the favelas can be cleared and our cities reclaimed. To be sustainable, minimum wage rates must rise significantly.

[wryter2000]

6. A place I pass regularly in Oakland

Solved a homeless encampment by kicking them all out and putting up fences so they can't come back. No solution at all.

[LT Barclay]

10. Foreign investors buying up property also part of the problem

[kimbutgar]

3. While Oakland is building housing u it's that costs 500,000+ To purchase

And the pandemic has made the housing problem even worst

[wryter2000]

5. $500k won't hardly buy you anything in Oakland

Small, older houses in my not-so-great neighborhood in Oakland are valued more like $700. Apartments start at $1,800/mo for a studio.

[jmbar2]

7. This is a very good documentary

It was great that he allowed the folks to speak at length and to express their ideas. There is a lot of wisdom and skill in that camp.

Austin has pioneered a model that is doing what they seek to accomplish. It's called Community First and is really impressive.

One of the things they've done is provide space for some fulltime RVers.

Here is a good documentary on that.
https://mlf.org/community-first/

Shorter overview

&ab_channel=MobileLoaves%26Fishes

[crud]

8. Sacramento city council

just passed a homeless ordinance. From what has been reported, they are trying to conform to the court ruling that says you can't remove someone from a public space without offering a suitable shelter. They are giving the person a choice between a homeless shelter or a safe camping area, and if they refuse either option their camp gets removed/destroyed. I think there is a bunch of money allocated also to purchase and run shelters, tiny houses, buying old hotels, safe camping etc.

There are already 2 court challenges.

Also, to qualify for housing assistance, they need to prove they had a residence in Sacramento for at least a year, before becoming homeless. to prevent Sacramento from attracting more homeless.

Something needs to be done. This might be a short term solution, but it won't solve the big and wide causes for this problem. I'm gonna watch what happens with this, not sure what to think.

[ShazamIam]

9. Back in 1981 as the public housing funds were cut for the tax cut for the billionaires, those same

billionaires promised the, "free market," would provide cheaper housing for the poor. They did, sidewalks, ally-ways, freeway underpasses and landscaping are the ultimate cheap housing.

[DBoon]

11. Reagan gutted Section 8 funding

Those losing their funding were the first wave of homeless

[hunter]

12. There's a lot of places in California like that.

I live within walking distance of a large homeless camp. It was established when our city pushed the homeless away from downtown areas. We don't walk our dogs there any more because some of the dogs belonging to the homeless can be off leash and aggressive. Sadly, but perhaps with good reason, many homeless people feel safer with such dogs.

Fresno is another city that seems to have an especially severe homeless problem.

The answer to the homeless problem is simple. Build housing!

Some people can take care of themselves if they have safe secure housing and may even go on to find employment.

Others will require some sort of mild supervision, especially those with drug and alcohol problems, or those with severe mental illnesses.

Culturally here in the U.S.A. we find it difficult to accept that some people will always be unemployable. The woman who stands on the corner wearing yoga pants and a bra yelling obscenities at passing cars is never going to be a WalMart checkout clerk, even if she can generally take care of herself. She still deserves safe, secure housing; a place she can call her own.